"I woke up this morning, the sunshine was shining.  I put on my happy face." - Destiny's Child

Hi everyone.  How was your Monday?  I can't complain.  I have two more weeks before I start my new job, so now I am just relaxing and enjoying the time off before I go back to work full time.

Today is Day 1 of the 21-Day Challenge!  I started off the day well!  I woke up at 8:00, laced up my sneaks and popped in one of my favorite walking DVDs. Today's challenge required a 3-mile walk to be completed in 45 minutes or less.  And that I did!  I thought I would be tired and winded, seeing as I have not done a Leslie Sansone exercise in a few months, but turns out, it's just like riding a bike.  And, it was a great aerobic workout.

I sat down after my workout and plugged into my ipod.  I always start my day with a quiet meditation, one of Gabrielle Bernstein's exercises.  Usually her Morning Meditation.  Her voice is calm and soothing.  I love that I can just zone out the world and create my own little utopia.  That's the power of meditation.

I had a doctor's appointment today and I was completely enamored by the foliage on my commute home.  I exited Rt. 1 and came to a stop off the exit ramp.  There were rows and rows of trees, all different shapes and sizes, in beautiful colors of reds, oranges and goldenrod yellows. If I hadn't taken 10 minutes this morning to set my intentions with love and gratitude, I guarantee you I wouldn't have paid any attention to anything around me (only my growling stomach).

Today was also fantastic because I was able to enjoy the company of my college roommate, Maria.  We had lunch at our favorite diner, the Eagle Diner, where we munched on their award-winning salad bar and coffee.  I enjoyed a piece of cheesecake as well (hey, Transitions hasn't started yet!), since I was in such good company I wouldn't be able to berate myself.

We sat at the diner drinking coffee and chatting for about 2 hours.  We then headed to Maria's apartment to engage in classic Bloomsburg University-style roommate bonding.  We watched about 5 hours of trashy, on demand cable tv (including Jersey Shore, Intervention and Teen Mom) and had grilled cheese for dinner. Maria then brought out the boxed wine and everything we had planned on doing went out the window. That's what happens when you drink vino - you don't get anything accomplished.

Here we are graduating from college.  May 2006

We did, however, make plans to cook for Maria's 27th birthday in 3 weeks.  She's inviting some friends over for food, drink and good times.  I'm looking forward to it.  I really miss that we don't live together anymore :( Those were two of the best years of my college life.  I sometimes wish I could go back to college, when all my friends lived no more than a few blocks away, and my only "problems" were deciding what to wear to the bar.  Le sigh.

Until next time.  Over and out.

Happy healthy,
Rae